MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
John and Elizabeth Brown, better known as Jack and Lizzi,
In 1924 my dad decided to come to Canada and arrived in
Our first home in Coalhurst was a small two roomed shack just
The family made many new friends while in Coalhurst some
Mother was always busy in the early years, money was not
Dad was very active in community affairs. He was on
Another brother was born in Coalhurst. During the dirty
There were two Churches left in Coalhurst which were
After the mine explosion we stayed in Coalhurst until 1937,
Dad served his country during the 1914-1918 World War
This took him overseas to bring back Prisoners of War.
Mother also spent many happy years in retirement,
Dad enjoyed very good health until the ripe age of
were married in England and had two sons.
Coalhurst to work in the coal mines. Mother and the two boys
arrived later in 1926.
west of the present Catholic Church. We had coal oil lamps
for light, a barrel in the ground where the water was delivered
and we had outside plumbing. Quite a change from our home
in England. After a short time we moved to a four roomed
company house, a big improvement over the shack. We
lived here for many years before moving into a three
bedroom house.
who still live in the City of Lethbridge today.
plentiful and she sewed all our clothes and was always
busy with the best of home cooked meals. During meal
times, the door was always open and like most other
homes in Coalhurst was always full of kids.
the executive of the Miners Club, always helped with
the Christmas party the miners put on for the kids of
Coalhurst. I remember him travelling with Constable
Davis on several trips he investigated and visiting Mr.
Shovlington who lived south of Coalhurst and trained
Bloodhounds for the police. Along with Andy Barrie
he was among the first to go down the mine after the
explosion to look for their comrades.
thirties our parents took us on many outings as we
grew up. Picnics at the river-bottom or Park Lake.
Berry picking to make jam, fishing and many more
things. It was a common sight to see many families
on hay wagons going on picnics.
active. The Pentecostal and the Catholic. The
Presbyterian had closed. The largest percent of all the
kids in Coalhurst attended one of these.
then moved to Lethbridge. Our Dad still worked in the
mines, Shaughnessy and No. 8 mine.
and in 1940 he once again joined the Veteran Guards.
He was stationed at well known camps such as Seebe,
Kananaskis, Port Arthur and Lethbridge. Many stories
could be told about his war years. In 1946 he was
discharged. His last working years were spent as
caretaker for the Army, Navy and Airforce Club in
Lethbridge. When he finished this job he retired and
enjoyed many happy years of retirement. He was a
member of the Army, Navy and Airforce Club, The Legion
and The Miners Library Club all of which he enjoyed.
visiting her son, grandsons and great-grandchildren
along with her many friends. After a good full life of
eighty-seven years Mother passed away in 1979.
ninety-three and after a short illness passed away in 1981.
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